Peiping, Apr. 28.
Hsueh Yictze. described by the [Chinese press as the "Drug King of North China," was executed by [shooting at the Tien Chiao at seven Jorelock this morning. One of his Jaccomplices, named Yen, was shot at the same time. Hsueh was arrested in Peiping last winter on the charge Jof engaging in the manufacture and cole of drugs in the provinces of /Honan. Hopel, and Shansi. Since his arrest, it had been reported several times that he had been condemned to death and was about to be executed. but each time these reports turned out to be unfounded. He admitted that he had once been in the drug business and that he had amassed a considerable fortune thereby. but he defended himself by saying that he had retired from the business before the present law making trafficking drugs a capital offence was enacted, jand that, since no law should be retroactive, he was therefore not guilty. His agents made several trips to Nanchang and Hankow to appeal to Gen. Chiang Kai-shek for clemency, but apparently all this proved of no avail.
Immediately after his arrest. the {ical authorities took possession of his properties in Peiping and con-'Aseated them. According to one Chi nese report he was worth $500,000.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.